TACVB's Destination Excellence Awards recognize outstanding contributions to destination management in Texas. The Destination Excellence Awards will be primarily juried by an impartial panel of industry experts. Texas destination organizations will also have the opportunity to select Peer Recognition Awards in each category. The winning entries will be announced at the TACVB Annual Conference, August 28-31, 2023 in College Station, Texas. Vendors, agencies and other media companies may not make submissions for any destination.
Budget Categories
- Under - $250K
- $250K - $500K
- $501 - $1 million
- $1 million and Over
Judging
An impartial panel of industry experts will select winners and runner ups in each awards category, and in each budget category.
Peer Recognition Awards
DMO/CVB staff will have the opportunity to vote for winners and runners up in each submission category regardless of budget size.
Only DMO/CVB Staff are allowed to vote via their official TACVB membership email (traditionally a work email). Any votes submitted with a non TACVB membership email will not be recognized.
Awards
Trophies will be awarded to all first-place winners. Certificates will be awarded all runner ups.
A form must be filled out for each entry you wish to submit. Only one submission per DMO allowed for each category.
Each entry is $60 and you can submit up to 6 entries at a time.
DEADLINE FOR ALL SUBMISSIONS IS Friday, June 23, 2023 at 5:00pm.
The category options for the 2023 TACVB Destination Excellence Awards include:
Website Design & Effectiveness
- The entry should include descriptions of features such as mapping, search filters, user-personalization, etc. and the integration of a broad range of social media channels.
- Creative implementation of the destination’s brand--visually pleasing, unique, captures the spirit of a destination.
- Demonstrates technological innovation.
- Results should include the number of unique visitors, bounce rate, time on site and signals of intent to travel.
- Can you think of something else that should be reported for judging?
Public Relations
- Campaigns may be directed at niche markets or a general travel audience.
- Campaigns may also relate to special events, crisis management programs or overall tourism promotion.
- Results should include: impressions, results, pick-up and social media (if applicable).
- Campaigns may be directed at niche markets or a general travel audience.
- Campaigns may also relate to special events, crisis management programs or overall tourism promotion.
- They must focus on a single, unified theme.
- Results should include: impressions, results, pick-up and social media (if applicable).
- Promotion supports the local community/residents
- Campaigns may also relate to special events geared towards local audience
- They must focus on a single, unified theme.
- Results should include: impressions, results, pick-up and social media.
- Include resident sentiment of promotion
- Creative and innovative use of multiple digital marketing channels, including (but not limited to) website, digital ads, email marketing, social media, etc.
- Originality and unique ideas considered.
Video, Storytelling and Podcast Series
- Unique and creative production of a destination-specific video or podcast series.
- Showcases unique elements of a destination.
- A video series must constitute three (3) or more videos in succession.
- Results should include: impressions, results, pick-up and social media (if applicable).
- Include video completion rate or view-through rate.
Leisure/Tourism Marketing Campaign
- Campaigns may be directed at niche markets or a general travel audience.
- Campaigns may also relate to special events, crisis management programs or overall tourism promotion.
- They must focus on a single, unified theme.
- Results should include: impressions, results, pick-up and social media (if applicable).
Community/Local Engagement Promotion
- Promotion supports the local community/residents
- Campaigns may also relate to special events geared towards local audience
- They must focus on a single, unified theme.
- Results should include: impressions, results, pick-up and social media.
- Include resident sentiment of promotion
Meetings & Conventions Promotion
- Promotion must be geared towards bringing a meeting/convention to your town.
- They must focus on a single, unified theme.
- Results should include: impressions, results, pick-up and social media (if applicable).
DMO of the Year
This category seeks to recognize a destination (of any size) that has made a significant impact within the travel industry this year. That could include but is not limited to significantly increasing tourist numbers, achieving substantial recognition across the industry or in the media, releasing a new successful campaign, hosting a significant event or a combination of many of these and more.
Entries must include:
- A description of the destination over the past year.
- An explanation for the rise in tourism. What changes helped make your DMO successful?
- Details of any campaign or strategy involved in boosting the destination’s reputation.
- Explain staff and community involvement, involvement with TACVB, culture of DMO, staff and board development, and key performance indicators.